Sustainability

What is the difference between sustainability and conservation?

Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Conservation is the protection of plants, animals, natural areas, and important structures and buildings from the damaging effects of human activity.”   

Rare Plants in the Region

  • Longleaf Dropseed (Endangered)
  • Hyssop-Leaved Fleabane (Special Concern)
  • Wild Ginger (Threatened)
  • Shining Ladies’-Tresses (Threatened)
  • Wild Leek (Special Concern)
  • Alpine Milk-Vetch (Special Concern)
  • Soft-Leaf Muhly (Special Concern)
  • Pale Green Orchis (Special Concern)
  • Fries’ Pondweed (Endangered)
  • Mistassini Primrose (Special Concern)
  • Glaucous Rattlesnake Root (Special Concern)
  • Capillary, Dioecious, and Garber’s Sedge (Special Concern)
  • Few-flowered Spikerush (Special Concern)
  • Alpine Sweet-Broom (Special Concern)
  • New England Violet (Special Concern)

Click here to see the Fort Fairfield map of Natural Resource Co-occurrence Natural Resource Co-occurrence

Click here to see the Fort Fairfield map of Wetlands Characterization Wetlands Characterization

 

 

Significance of the Aroostook River Region:

  • Rare Animals in Region:
    • Bald Eagle
    • Upland Sandpiper (Threatened)
    • Pygmy Snaketail (Special Concern)
    • Wood Turtle (Special Concern)
    • Mystery Vertigo (Special Concern)
  • Rare Natural Communities in Region:
    • Rivershore Outcrop (Rare in Maine)
    • Circumneutral Pond (Imperiled in Maine)
    • Riverside Seep (Imperiled in Maine)
  • Rare Natural Communities in Region:
    • Rivershore Outcrop (Rare in Maine)
    • Circumneutral Pond (Imperiled in Maine)
    • Riverside Seep (Imperiled in Maine) 
  • Wildlife Habitats in Region:
    • Inland Wading Bird Habitat
    • Waterfowl Habitat

Example of a river conservation project

Here is an example of river sustainability: The Cape Fear Project; Credit: The Nature Conservancy

Impact of the SEED model

  • SEED model provides framework for remote rural communities to work collaboratively with government agencies, businesses, non-profits
  • Helps communities develop and maintain healthy, sustainable, and thriving economies
  • Model applied to outdoor recreation and other (related) industries
  • Serves as avenue for sustainable economic development
  • Goal: develop sustainable ecosystems
  • Small communities create and maintain healthy economies by using collaborative ecosystem approach
  • Bringing stakeholders into ecosystem who have knowledge, resources, and expertise
  • Synergistic value creation results in sustainable healthy communities
  • Sustainability theories: ‘triple bottom line,’ ‘3Ps’ (people, planet, profit), sustainability pyramid/dimensions (environmental, social, economic)
  • SEED model assumes confluence of critical stakeholders, including state agencies, for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and communities
  • Goal: create sustainable ecosystems with project champion as focal point
  • Stakeholders bring knowledge, resources, and expertise to create synergies needed for sustainable, vibrant communities
  • Provide value to constituents, visitors, businesses, etc. in ecosystem
  • Sustainable practices require comprehensive collaboration and partnership among all stakeholders
  • Needed: holistic approach/ perspective + interdisciplinarity

Other Sustainability Practices

GOAL: Implement feasible sustainable practices in the town and promote Fort Fairfield as a green sustainable community

From ICMA Sustainability in Small Places

“Top 20 sustainability policies adopted by communities smaller than 25,000 in population: 

  1. Community-wide recycling for residents (75%)
  2. Government office recycling (67%)
  3. Biking and walking trails (57%) *
  4. Energy audits of government buildings (55%) *
  5. Requiring sidewalks in new developments (52%)
  6. Supporting a local farmers’ market (51%)
  7. Recycling household hazardous waste (48%)
  8. High-efficiency lighting in government facilities (47%) *
  9. Recycling of household electronic waste (45%) *
  10. Community-wide recycling for businesses (44%)
  11. Tree preservation and planting program (42%)
  12. Heating and cooling upgrades in government facilities (38%) *
  13. Water pricing to encourage conservation (38%)
  14. Purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles (33%)
  15. Community-wide collection of compost material (33%)
  16. Zoning codes to encourage more mixed-use projects (32%)
  17. Actions to protect quality of aquifers (32%)
  18. Installation of high-efficiency traffic lights (30%)
  19. Setting limits on impervious surfaces on private property (30%)
  20. Co-locating recycling with trash containers in public spaces (30%)“

    *Activities designated as priorities 

Economic Services Provided by the Area

  • Attracts (nature-based) tourism for wildlife observation (e.g., bird watching), paddling, hunting, and angling
  • Contributes to recreational value of area by protecting water quality, fisheries, and wildlife habitats
  • Conveys floodwaters
  • Offers educational opportunities (especially in combination with learning about history and culture of local Amish community)
  • Provides recreational boating and fishing
  • Provides scenic views

Ecological Services Provided by Area

  • Export of nutrients and minerals
  • Provision of environmental connectivity
  • Provision of habitat for area-sensitive/rare species
  • Provision of habitat for rare animals and plants and natural communities/ecosystems
  • Support of regional biodiversity (and environmental sustainability)

Click here to see the Fort Fairfield map of Undeveloped Habitat Blocks & Conserved Lands